Vaccine Progress, Approval, and Deployment

[YorkshireBear]

There was me hearing all the rhetoric from the UK politicians about how much faster the UK was going than the EU, and yet here I am aged 35 sat in an EU country already having had my first dose with an apointment to get my 2nd in 4 weeks time. Where as you are indicating to me that I would not currently even be able to register for an apointment in the UK, and then presumably I would have to wait a further 12? weeks for my 2nd dose?

I think your onto a loser there. The doses per 100 people in population stats don't lie. Countries are distributing vaccines in different ways.

 

[Crossover]

There was me hearing all the rhetoric from the UK politicians about how much faster the UK was going than the EU, and yet here I am aged 35 sat in an EU country already having had my first dose with an apointment to get my 2nd in 4 weeks time. Where as you are indicating to me that I would not currently even be able to register for an apointment in the UK, and then presumably I would have to wait a further 12? weeks for my 2nd dose?

It seems to depend on the area - we have areas of surge vaccination and other places are ahead of the curve. Second doses are now anywhere between 8 and 12 weeks after the first. On the whole, I feel the UK are still doing pretty well with vaccinations (probably one of the few good things to come out of the last 15 months!)

 

[notlob.divad]

I think your onto a loser there. The doses per 100 people in population stats don't lie. Countries are distributing vaccines in different ways.

But that is as much, if not more, linked to a populations vaccine hesitancy than an areas ability to obtain and roll out said vaccines.

On the whole, I feel the UK are still doing pretty well with vaccinations (probably one of the few good things to come out of the last 15 months!)

On the whole I think the UK is doing a great job, (apart from the contractual nationalism, whilst simultaenously sourcing doses from a country that is now desperately in need of them itself). However the rhetoric that was coming out of the government was all land of milk and honey. I had noticed it getting significantly quieter on that front over recent weeks. In the mean time, my parents (still UK residents) would now be able to come visit me and with proof of full vaccination could by-pass quarantine requirements in my country, yet are prevented from doing so as the UK has no equivilent system setup.

 

[Domh245]

But that is as much, if not more, linked to a populations vaccine hesitancy than an areas ability to obtain and roll out said vaccines.

Perhaps in the "end-game" phase, or if there's ridiculously high levels of vaccine hesitancy.

The UK has given first doses to almost 70% of the adult population, and 2 doses to almost 39% of the adult population - I'm not aware of any other reasonably sized countries worldwide with similar figures, but I'm happy to be corrected. The fact we're still (largely) working through the late 30-somethings is a reflection of the "maximise protection against severe illness and death" approach that we've taken and the very high levels of take up.

The UK is absolutely in a better position (right now) than any EU state in terms of protecting the population through vaccination, and I say that as someone unlikely to be offered a vaccine until July. Quite why we should be jealous of (presumed) healthy 35 year olds getting jabs I don't know - they'd be much better off in the arm of an elderly or clinically vulnerable person. I'm quite happy to wait for mine until nobody else more deserving of it needs it.

 

[takno]

There was me hearing all the rhetoric from the UK politicians about how much faster the UK was going than the EU, and yet here I am aged 35 sat in an EU country already having had my first dose with an apointment to get my 2nd in 4 weeks time. Where as you are indicating to me that I would not currently even be able to register for an apointment in the UK, and then presumably I would have to wait a further 12? weeks for my 2nd dose?

The uptake of the vaccine in Poland is absolutely terrible. Meanwhile the government there is (sensibly for a change) very keen on getting as many people as vaccinated as possible, and isn't messing around with nonsense over-cautious rules about Astra Zeneca.

The upshot is that they are often more short of arms to stick them in than doses, particularly for Astra Zeneca where the hesitancy rate is even higher. That's what drove the recent reduction in time to second dose there.

 

[TravelDream]

There was me hearing all the rhetoric from the UK politicians about how much faster the UK was going than the EU, and yet here I am aged 35 sat in an EU country already having had my first dose with an apointment to get my 2nd in 4 weeks time. Where as you are indicating to me that I would not currently even be able to register for an apointment in the UK, and then presumably I would have to wait a further 12? weeks for my 2nd dose?

That's not quite fair. Different parts of the EU are going at very different rate, but overall they are far behind us. The other thing which I have read about different countries in the EU is their priority lists are far less strict than ours. We have been going pretty strictly by the JCVI advice of age and vulnerability.

Different parts of the UK are going at a very different pace too.

Cardiff and Vale Health Board have said everyone 18+ will be invited for a vaccine by the end of May. They must be going much quicker than England has nationally, though I know parts of England which are inviting people in their 20s for vaccines too.

Covid vaccine: Welsh health board offers all over-18s vaccine by 30 May

The date is two months ahead of the Welsh government's target of the end of July.

www.bbc.co.uk

https://twitter.com/CV_UHB/status/1394579908379168770

 

[Bantamzen]

That's not quite fair. Different parts of the EU are going at very different rate, but overall they are far behind us. The other thing which I have read about different countries in the EU is their priority lists are far less strict than ours. We have been going pretty strictly by the JCVI advice of age and vulnerability.

Different parts of the UK are going at a very different pace too.

Cardiff and Vale Health Board have said everyone 18+ will be invited for a vaccine by the end of May. They must be going much quicker than England has nationally, though I know parts of England which are inviting people in their 20s for vaccines too.

Covid vaccine: Welsh health board offers all over-18s vaccine by 30 May

The date is two months ahead of the Welsh government's target of the end of July.

www.bbc.co.uk

https://twitter.com/CV_UHB/status/1394579908379168770

Generally speaking though the EU is now playing catch-up with us, showing faster rates of first doses compared to us meaning they will get closer over the coming weeks. This following link has a useful filter & play function that displays the changing rates of various parts over the world across 2021.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccinations

Our vaccination dataset uses the most recent official numbers from governments and health ministries worldwide. Population estimates for per-capita metrics are based on the United Nations World Population Prospects. Income groups are based on the World Bank classification. A full list of our...

ourworldindata.org

 

[notlob.divad]

isn't messing around with nonsense over-cautious rules about Astra Zeneca

Nope, I had free choice over which vaccine I wanted to take. Naturally I chose the Pfizer BionTech.

The upshot is that they are often more short of arms to stick them in than doses

I fear that maybe true, however the benefit is that for a country that has really struggled to provide financial support to its hospitality and entertainment industries during the pandemic, the younger generations who underpin the functioning of the restaurants, bars, clubs, cinemas, gyms and coffee shops, are able to get fully vaccinated prior to the peak summer season, and thus hopefully get out there and kick start that section of the economy. It is also this younger generation who are more likely to travel for work (particularly around the rest of the EU) be it haulage, logistics, manufacturing, and thus reinvigorate another area of the economy.

 

[TPO]

I'm sure Matt Hancock was claiming one of them who had been vaccinated was frail before contracting the virus. He also now seems to claiming vaccines take up to 4 weeks to take effect rather than the 2 which was previously being communicated.



Indeed. We now know it was circulating in the Paris area just after Christmas 2019, it was probably circulating in London by Jan 2020 if not before.

I felt absolutely rubbish over the New Year, in fact leading up to Christmas, just put it down to a bad dollop of flu, Covid had not been invented then

Have the NHS app, mine says when I had the 'invite' plus the details of the days I had the jabs, and the batch number.

Indeed, I am pretty sure I had it in late December 2019, not only that but quite a few industry people from the same circle had similarly been ill over Christmas 2019.

I recall they found strong evidence of COVID cases in France in November 2019 (from stored samples).

I'd guess that there was a level of it in the population in Dec19/Jan20 but the real surge appears to have been after people came home from their skiing holidays where they had been in close contact during the "apres ski" part.

TPO

 

[Pete_uk]

My Pfizer jab went well yesterday. I can honestly say that I did not feel the needle go into my arm. I was a bit unconvinced that I had even had a needle in me but a quick look once outside showed a little blood spot. The area around is a bit tender this morning.

 

[kristiang85]

My Pfizer jab went well yesterday. I can honestly say that I did not feel the needle go into my arm. I was a bit unconvinced that I had even had a needle in me but a quick look once outside showed a little blood spot. The area around is a bit tender this morning.

Yes it was extraordinary how painless it was. But definitely feeling like I've been punched in the arm this morning.

 

[Crossover]

The NHS site is now inviting anyone aged 36 and over, or who will be such as of July 1st, to book their slots

Now reduced, just two days later, to 34

 

[cuccir]

35, booked mine yesterday evening. Was surprised, contra reporting, how available appointments are: had I wanted to I could have booked one in my home town for tomorrow.

 

[initiation]

I know parts of England which are inviting people in their 20s for vaccines too.

Yup. My partner (mid-late 20s) was invited a week or two ago and had hers last weekend. They seem to be rattling through the age groups - I suspect because take up is less in these groups (quite rightly, as the net benefit is generally less).

 

[nlogax]

Now reduced, just two days later, to 34

While it's great to see the advertised age ranges now dropping every couple of days I do wonder if that speed is reflecting more vaccine reluctance amongst younger people?

 

[yorksrob]

I suppose the difference in risk between the lower age ranges is a lot less, so the benefit comes from getting as many done as qickly as possible.

 

[kristiang85]

While it's great to see the advertised age ranges now dropping every couple of days I do wonder if that speed is reflecting more vaccine reluctance amongst younger people?

I'm hoping it's more that the supply has been increased, but this is a distinct possibility too.

 

[Crossover]

While it's great to see the advertised age ranges now dropping every couple of days I do wonder if that speed is reflecting more vaccine reluctance amongst younger people?

Maybe so

Quite possibly we are reaching the top of the curve for vaccination take up and will have as much protection as we are likely to get before too long. Time to get the country moving again, me thinks!

 

[TravelDream]

While it's great to see the advertised age ranges now dropping every couple of days I do wonder if that speed is reflecting more vaccine reluctance amongst younger people?

It's a few things.
We have a massive stock of vaccines in storage. The Scottish Government releases its allocation each week which can then be scaled up to see how many the UK have had delivered and how many are in storage. Around 12 million are in storage at the moment with 7 million of them the Oxford/AZ vaccine. The government might be releasing more of this.
Supply is holding very strong if you look at delivery numbers (again taken from Scottish Gov figures).
There are fewer people in these age groups and a fair number of them will have received the vaccine already (NHS/ Care stuff, clinically vulnerable, those on reserve lists etc.).
Take-up is undoubtedly a little lower as it was always going to be.

 

[ainsworth74]

Now reduced, just two days later, to 34

So close!

 

[Crossover]

So close!

Yep! I’m expecting to get my invitation now sooner than I had expected

 

[Silver Cobra]

If this rate keeps up, I can book my first vaccination sometime next week (I won't be 34 until October, so just miss out on it currently ).

 

[kristiang85]

My mate is 34 on 1st July so he just missed today's cut.

But I'm sure the call will come on Monday next week for 32 and above.

 

[Cdd89]

I wonder if anyone else in the younger age groups is (like me) considering deferring the vaccine until they can get the J&J jab?

This is based on the ridiculous situation that you are not considered “fully vaccinated” — and therefore eligible for a vaccine passport for travel — until your second dose, 11 weeks after the first appointment. Getting the J&J jab, even if it means waiting longer, would mean being “fully vaccinated” sooner.

 

[johnnychips]

Very OT, but this thread has shown how old a lot of posters really are, rather than what we perceived by their opinions!

I wonder if anyone else in the younger age groups is (like me) considering deferring the vaccine until they can get the J&J jab?

This is based on the ridiculous situation that you are not considered “fully vaccinated” — and therefore eligible for a vaccine passport for travel — until your second dose, 11 weeks after the first appointment. Getting the J&J jab, even if it means waiting longer, would mean being “fully vaccinated” sooner.

Do you get any choice? When I went for my first jab, it was ‘we are using the Pfizer vaccine today’, then the second naturally followed.

 

[Socanxdis]

I wonder if anyone else in the younger age groups is (like me) considering deferring the vaccine until they can get the J&J jab?

This is based on the ridiculous situation that you are not considered “fully vaccinated” — and therefore eligible for a vaccine passport for travel — until your second dose, 11 weeks after the first appointment. Getting the J&J jab, even if it means waiting longer, would mean being “fully vaccinated” sooner.

I would like to get the J&J but I won't wait for it. Hasn't yet been approved and could get delayed.

 

[Crossover]

I wonder if anyone else in the younger age groups is (like me) considering deferring the vaccine until they can get the J&J jab?

I’ll probably just get what is given. Being in my early 30s it seems unlikely it will be the AZ one

 

[YorkshireBear]

A friend in Manchester had a local pharmacy doing walk ins off the street due to excessive spare vaccine. Plenty of under 34s done there. Late twenties so expecting mine around mid June now.

 

[takno]

I wonder if anyone else in the younger age groups is (like me) considering deferring the vaccine until they can get the J&J jab?

This is based on the ridiculous situation that you are not considered “fully vaccinated” — and therefore eligible for a vaccine passport for travel — until your second dose, 11 weeks after the first appointment. Getting the J&J jab, even if it means waiting longer, would mean being “fully vaccinated” sooner.

I doubt you'll be offered any choice beyond being able to opt out of AZ. Added to which, if you're in the tail end of the vaccination programme then they'll probably reduce the wait time for second jabs quite significantly.

There's also the ever-present threat of domestic vaccine passports, which may well work on the basis that the first jab provides 80% of the protection and is therefore plenty.

Finally, foreign travel may well end up restricted on the basis of which vaccine you've had. The Chinese one is probably not going to be acceptable, and a late-to-be-accepted single dose model might not be any more popular.

 

[peters]

BBC News is reporting the South West region is the English region with the most rollout to over 40s (94%) with London being the worse (83%). They are also reporting Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are vaccinating under 30s routinely. However, their chart shows only 89% of over 40s have been vaccinated in both Wales and Northern Ireland. A friend of mine who lives in the Republic of Ireland says they are only up to the 45-49 age group, while BBC reports NI are vaccinating anyone over 25 so that's a huge difference from one side of the Irish border to the other.

Covid vaccine: How many people are vaccinated in the UK?

A look at progress made in vaccinating the country, as more than 52 million people have received at least one dose and 38 million have had a booster or third dose.

www.bbc.co.uk

I wonder if anyone else in the younger age groups is (like me) considering deferring the vaccine until they can get the J&J jab?

I doubt you'll be offered any choice beyond being able to opt out of AZ.

At my local vaccination centre you this week if you're going for a 1st jab you would have got AZ if you're over 40 unless there's a reason why you can't have it e.g. if you're over 40 and pregnant. If you're under 40 or pregnant you get Pzifer, unless there's a reason you can't e.g. an allergy.

Moderna isn't being offered in the area as it's reserved for the areas where administrating Pzifer would create logistical difficulties. The situation would likely be the same with J&J as it's an easy to store vaccine so will probably be reserved for more rural areas which could be hours from a suitable storage facility.

Added to which, if you're in the tail end of the vaccination programme then they'll probably reduce the wait time for second jabs quite significantly.

The 2nd Pfizer vaccine can't be administered until at least 3 weeks after the 1st but as you say it would be the shorter end for those who get vaccinated last, as delaying the 2nd to 12 weeks was to speed up 1st doses.

While it's great to see the advertised age ranges now dropping every couple of days I do wonder if that speed is reflecting more vaccine reluctance amongst younger people?

One thing worth remembering is people in their 30s are more likely to have work and childcare commitments than those in older age groups, so might be less likely to accept the 1st available appointment. They also want to ensure some people are ready to book a last minute appointment if someone else cancels their appointment for whatever reason.